CNN, World Fishing Net Raises Money, Awareness For BP Spill Relief

As Larry King gets set to host a CNN telethon to raise money for families affected by the Gulf Coast oil spill and the clean-up process, a niche cable network will forfeit a day's worth of ad revenues. WFN: World Fishing Network will turn over its ad time to run PSAs on June 30, encouraging viewers to contribute to a fund it has established in conjunction with two partners. 

CNN's celebrity-filled "Disaster in the Gulf: How You Can Help" will run for two hours Monday and help three charities. Boldface names from Sting to Ted Danson to Lenny Kravitz will participate, according to a CNN Web site.

CNN says a similar event in January for victims of the Haiti earthquake took in $5 million.

WFN Fisherman's Fund

On June 30, WFN's commercial breaks will direct viewers to a Web site to donate to its "WFN Gulf Oil Spill Fisherman's Fund." The monies will go to two charities: one helping fishermen whose livelihoods are threatened, and a second involviing environmental clean-up. (Some advertising weaved into network programming will still air.)

advertisement

advertisement

PSAs created by the network could include celebrities in the fishing world and beyond.

Distributors of WFN, which reaches about 16 million U.S. homes, are making it available more widely June 30. That group includes Dish Network, Charter Communications and AT&T U-verse. All AT&T HD subscribers will have access from June 28-30, as the network's news programming covers the spill.

WFN's programming June 30 will include a 30-minute prime-time special -- "WFN News: Fishing Crisis in the Gulf" -- co-hosted by two network personalities and emanating from impacted communities.

Mark Rubinstein, the network's CEO, stated that WFN is "making a commitment to the fishing industry in the region, and we're asking all of our viewers, partners and colleagues ... to join us and help this important cause."

One of the charities benefiting from the WFN initiative was created to help charter-boat captains in the South Plaquemines, Louisiana area. The focus is the survival of the commercial-fishing industry there after the oil stops gushing.

WFN is also in about 4 million homes in Canada, where it was launched in 2005. Advertisers include Motel 6, Baja Tourism and Shimano, which makes fishing equipment.

Next story loading loading..